Definitions of International Relations:-The branch of political science that is concerned with the foreign affairs of and relations among countries. International relations is an academic discipline concerned with the interactions among nations and other international entities.

Trevor Taylor (1979) defines International Relations as:
"A discipline, which tries to explain political activities across state boundaries"

According to Ola, Joseph (1999):
"International relations are the study of all forms of interactions that exist between members of separate entities or nations within the international system"

Seymon Brown (1988) thus defines international relations as: "The investigating and study of patterns of action and “reactions among sovereign states as represented by their governing elites”

Some scholars see power as the key to International politics. Thus, they define International relations as the subject that deals with those relations among nations, which involve power status.

As Stanley Hoffman writes:
“the discipline of international relations is concerned with the factors and the activities which affect the external policies and power of the basic units into which the world is divided”

In My Opinion:- Thus, international relations is concerned with all the exchange transactions, contacts, flow of information and the resulting behavioral responses between and among separate organized societies. International relations could encompass many different activities social, economic, religious and so forth in so far as they have implications for international political relations. International relations are thus concerned with every form of interaction between and amongst nations.

Why We Study International Relations:-International relations is an academic discipline concerned with the interactions among nations and other international entities. There are many reasons to study international relations. We study international relation for better understanding of causes of war conflict and peace treaties

International Issues

Many issues span national borders, including crime, environmental protection, human rights, and disease. Nations must cooperate to solve these global issues.

Relevance

The interaction of nations, institutions, cultures and ethnicities is relevant to everyone. You are affected by the decisions your government makes, and learning about these issues can help you better understand your life and the world around you.

Related Subjects

International relations is closely related to and complements many other subjects, including politics, economics, history, law, psychology and sociology.

Influence

Understanding international relations can help you affect the decisions made by governments, corporations and other institutions.

Careers

Studying international relations can lead to many careers, including diplomatic service, international business, non-profit organizations, and law.

Scope of International Relations:-

The scope of international relations has greatly expanded in modern times. Initially international relations were concerned only with the study of diplomatic history. It concentrated on the study of contemporary foreign affairs with a view to draw certain lessons. Later on emphasis began to be laid on the study of international law and international relations began to be studied within the framework of international law. The field of the study of international relations was further widened with the establishment of the League of Nations after the First World War and the study of international organizations and institutions was also included within its purview.

International relations are thus concerned with every form of interaction between and amongst nations. Such...

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INTERNATIONALRELATIONS:
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PARADIGMS AND INTERNATIONALRELATIONS Abstract In this essay I will discuss the aspects of being a Realist, and Idealist, as well as discuss the
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Introduction
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...leading and most prominent ways of thinking in terms of internationalrelations in modern times, with its stark view of nation states and people appealing greatly to the Western leading political institutions, as recently it has become another phrase for 'power politics'. Instead of referring to itself as an ideology, realists see it as more of a straight forward rational theory, a way of thinking reasonably in the situation, rather than seeing the world as a far fetched and ideological utopia. Political realism is seen as a way of explaining political philosophy models, and to prescribe political relations. It makes many assumptions, the key one being that power is indeed (or ought to be) the first point in political action, be it in an international or domestic sphere. Domestically, this theory declares that the politicians must look to take full advantage of their power. However when in the international arena the nation states should be the primary agents that advance and seek to make the most of the power available to them. It can be seen therefore that nations and politicians ought to pursue power or their own interests in theory, but in reality the ruling nation state of affairs-that nations and politicians only selfishly pursue power.
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